"Join me on this faith-inspiring pilgrimage to Rome and its many ancient holy sites, including the tombs of the Apostles Peter and Paul and Christian catacombs! We will pray and eat together, learning the stories of Christian martyrs and walking in the footsteps of the Apostles." Sister Vassa 

 Transfer to the hotel, check-in. Afterward, we will take a tour of the city, starting with the Piazza del Popolo, a square that houses several magnificent basilicas, one of which displays two impressive canvases by Caravaggio and other Renaissance examples. Some other sites on our tour will include the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain, the ancient Pantheon - a magnificent former Roman temple, the foundation of which was built in 27 B.C. and later altered to become a church in 609 A.D. We will also go to the Piazza Navona, one of the most famous and beautiful squares in the center of Rome, as well as Capitoline Hill - one of the Seven Hills of Rome and a former political and religious epicenter that has several impressive temples, and offers a stunning view of the city.  Welcome dinner and orientation

 Today we will concentrate on Ancient Rome, beginning with the world’s largest ancient amphitheater ever built - the Colosseum. From there we will visit the Palatine Hill where we will see the oldest Christian church in the Roman Forum, the Santa Maria Antiqua. Built in the 5th century, the walls of the church are adorned with numerous frescoes of varying styles from the 6th to the 9th centuries, including the oldest fresco of the Virgin Mary as Queen, from the 6th century. 

After dinner we will venture out to the Mamertine Prison, where Saints Peter and Paul are said to have once been imprisoned. A short walk away is the Church of St. Cosmos and Damian, one of the first churches to use pagan structures for its design. The inside hosts magnificent, ornate mosaics and architecture of the 6th and 7th centuries. Our final site of the day is another titular church, St. Peter in Chains. It houses the chains with which St. Peter was imprisoned and Michelangelo’s famous “Moses” statue. 

 This morning we will head over to St. Peter’s Square for an opportunity to be present at the Papal Audience, during which the Pope will do a short Scriptural reading and offer a homily. Following this, we will visit the Vatican museums and see some of the immense collections of art collected over the centuries by the papacy. In addition, we will tour St. Peter’s Basilica, the magnificent church that sits over the Tomb of St. Peter and houses numerous works by major Renaissance figures, including Michelangelo’s famous Pietà.

Today we will start by touring a combination of both great and smaller basilicas. Founded in 324 A.D., the Lateran Cathedral is considered to be the oldest public church in the city of Rome and, as one of the city’s four major papal basilicas, it serves as the Papal seat. Although it had had to be renovated a few times after suffering through an earthquake and several fires, the arch-basilica retained its ancient form and continues to display some impressive mosaics and frescoes. Our next stop will be at the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, another papal basilica and the first great church dedicated to the Virgin Mary in Rome. It not only houses what is believed to be the relic of the Holy Crib, the manger in which Jesus was laid as a baby, but also the famous Marian icon, Salus Populi Romani, which according to tradition is said to have been painted by St. Luke, the Evangelist. Among the Basilica’s most important relics are the remains of Saint Matthew and Saint Jerome. A short walk away is the smaller 9th century church of St. Praxedes, which is considered to be the most    

important example of ancient Byzantine art in Rome. From there we will visit the 4th century Basilica of St. Prudenziana, dedicated to St. Praxedes’ sister and one of the oldest churches in Rome. 

After dinner we will head out to the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem which houses some important relics from the Holy Land, including pieces of the True Cross, a nail from the crucifixion, thorns from the crown, and a copy of the Shroud of Turin. From there we will explore the Appian Way, one of the first and most important Roman roads used to transport troops and military supplies for its conquest of southern Italy 312 B.C. Along there we will visit the ancient Catacombs of St. Callixtus, one of the major underground cemeteries in Rome since the 3rd century A.D. most notable for containing the impressive Crypt of the Popes. 

Today we will visit the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, another papal basilica and the site where the Apostle Paul was buried. The ancient sarcophagus of the Apostle, originally erected after his martyric death, still rests under the altar. The impressive basilica later is the second largest after St. Peter’s and has been declared a world heritage site by UNESCO. 

Next we will visit the Abbey of the Three Fountains, run by Trappist monks and known for raising the lambs whose wool is used to weave the pallia of archbishops. The Abbey gets its name from the legend that describes how, at the time of execution, St .Paul’s head bounced and struck the earth in three different spots, from which fountains sprung up. From here we will tour the Basilica of St. Lawrence, a shrine dedicated to one of the first deacons of Rome who was martyred in 258 A.D. The interior hosts beautiful 6th century mosaics and massive antique Ionic columns.  After dinner we will visit one of the most interesting structures of Rome, archaeologically speaking - the Basilica of St. Clement. It is a three-tiered complex of buildings consisting of the present basilica built just before 1100, a 4th century basilica beneath it, and the original construction - the former home of a Roman nobleman. The current basilica has been richly decorated by painters and sculptors, and the ancient basilica underground hosts remnants of frescoes. 

Next we will go to the Basilica of Sts. John and Paul and venture underneath it to see the ancient Roman houses. Here we will see beautiful, well-preserved frescoes amidst the remains of Roman dwellings. This is traditionally believed to be the site inhabited by John and Paul, two officers at the court of Emperor Constantine in the 4th century, who were both Christian martyrs and were buried at their home. Finally, we will visit the complex of Santi Quattro Coronati, a medieval fortress on a hill in the center   of Rome that houses a basilica dating back to the 4th century, devoted to four anonymous saints and martyrs. The church hosts extraordinary frescoes and one of Rome’s most beautiful hidden cloisters. 

 Today we will tour Medieval Rome. Our first stop will be Campo de Fiori, a rectangular square where the philosopher Giordano Bruno was burned alive in 1600, and what is now the location for a large outdoor market. 

Next we will make our way to the old Jewish Quarter, also known as the former Jewish Ghetto. It was originally constructed in 1555 under the order of Pope Paul IV upon his revoke of all the rights that had been granted to Roman Jews. Today, this area is considered one of Rome’s beautiful hidden treasures, a cultural, religious, and culinary experience.  From here we will cross the oldest bridge across the Tiber River, built in 62 B.C. to Tiber Island, the only river island within Rome. With its beautiful nature and quiet atmosphere, the Tiber Island holds dear many fascinating tales of Roman myths and legends. We will have lunch and continue on to the Trastevere, a charming Bohemian neighborhood whose name translates to “beyond the Tiber,” known for its narrow streets and medieval houses, as well as artisan shops and trattorias. Here we will visit the magnificent 9th century Basilica of St. Cecilia which hosts ancient mosaics, stunning columns, and the extensive frescoes by Pierre Cavallini, namely the famous Last Judgement from the 13th century. In addition, we will visit the 3rd century Basilica of the Virgin Mary Beyond the Tiber which also displays the works of Cavallini, namely large areas of mosaics. The basilica also houses a unique icon of the enthroned Virgin and Child, a panel painting in encaustic, dated between 6th and 9th century, and one of the oldest existing Marian icons from the Medieval period.

You will have a free day here, to go wherever you wish.

 Today we will go to Aventine Hill, another one of the Seven Hills on which Rome was built. Here we will visit the House of St. Alexios the Man of God, found inside the Basilica of St. Boniface and Alexios. Upon entering the church, there is a staircase on the left side. According to tradition, Saint Alexios the Man of God lived below this staircase at his parents’ house as an anonymous beggar for seventeen years till his death, upon which his identity was revealed to his parents. This is all that remains of the original house.   

Next we will tour the Basilica of St. Sabina, a significant architectural site since it is the oldest extant ecclesiastical basilica in Rome that preserves its original colonnaded rectangular plan with apse. Additionally, it is famous for its impressive cypress wood doors carved with Biblical scenes in 430 A.D. 

After enjoying some views from Aventine Hill, we will descend into the valley between Aventine and Palatine, where we will see the Circus Maximus, the first and largest stadium in ancient Rome for racing chariots. Today its ruins still create an impressive throwback to the 6th century B.C. when the stadium could accommodate over 150,000 spectators. 

In the afternoon we will visit the National Roman Museum - Palazzo Massimo. A Renaissance building constructed in 1887, the museum houses one of the world’s greatest collections of ancient art and archeology from the Republican Age to the Late Antiquity. Here you will see some famous statues from the 2nd century B.C. such as the Boxer at Rest, as well as ornate frescoes from the same era and many archeological artifacts.

 On our last day we will take a short trip north of Rome to visit the impressive city of Orvieto. Sitting on top of the summit of a large mound of volcanic tuff, the city rises above almost-vertical cliffs, providing stunning views of the Umbrian countryside. While the new town at the bottom is not so interesting, the old town hilltop boasts medieval structures and an ancient feel to narrow streets. The Orvieto Cathedral is known for its dynamic façade with mosaics and stained glass, an optical-illusion interior structure, and a Chapel featuring Luca Signorelli's brilliantly lit frescoes. A complex of medieval palaces behind the cathedral display some of the city’s best devotional art and sculptures. Orvieto also hosts an incredible underground world, since the town sits atop a network of Etruscan-era tunnels, caves, and wells - all providing a view into the life of ancient Italians.

Breakfast. Check out. Departure from one of the Rome' International airports